Foreign Cinema

Approved by Ed · 25 visits since 2022

2526 Mission St · Mission
CalifornianRegularGreat wine
Foreign Cinema — MissionForeign Cinema — MissionForeign Cinema — Mission

The most beautiful and romantic restaurant in the city. The indoor dining room is stunning, and the outdoor space with the movie is its most unique feature. The food is consistently good and seasonal. Start with oysters, then a picnic dish and some appetizers. Go for the fried chicken (sometimes it's roast chicken) or the steak. For dessert: if they have the chèvre cheesecake, get that — if not, the birthday cake is amazing. Ask for the big wine list if you're a wine lover.

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What I keep ordering

Oysters, the fried chicken or the steak, then the cheesecake or their birthday cake. Consistently the highlight, always tasty. What can be more inspiring than a kitchen that always delivers?

Oyster platter at Foreign Cinema, 2017Oyster platter at Foreign Cinema, 2019Oyster platter at Foreign Cinema, 2021Oyster platter at Foreign Cinema, 2022Oyster platter at Foreign Cinema, 2023Oyster platter at Foreign Cinema, 2025
The oysters
2017
Fried chicken at Foreign Cinema, 2016Fried chicken at Foreign Cinema, 2017Fried chicken at Foreign Cinema, 2018Fried chicken at Foreign Cinema, 2019Fried chicken at Foreign Cinema, 2023Fried chicken at Foreign Cinema, 2024
The fried chicken
2016
Steak at Foreign Cinema, 2019Steak at Foreign Cinema, 2021Steak at Foreign Cinema, 2022Steak at Foreign Cinema, 2023Steak at Foreign Cinema, 2026
The steak
2019
Cheesecake at Foreign Cinema, 2016Cheesecake at Foreign Cinema, 2017Cheesecake at Foreign Cinema, 2019Cheesecake at Foreign Cinema, 2023
The cheesecake, different fruit every era
2016
Chocolate birthday cake at Foreign Cinema, 2016Chocolate birthday cake at Foreign Cinema, 2019Chocolate birthday cake at Foreign Cinema, 2021Chocolate birthday cake at Foreign Cinema, 2026
The birthday cake
2016

Tap a card — or a year — to move through time.

On my list of the best Californian cooking in San Francisco and where to drink well in San Francisco.

The chèvre cheesecake here made Ed’s Best — my worldwide list of the things worth traveling for.

Common questions

What should I order at Foreign Cinema?

Edmund goes for oysters, fried chicken, chèvre cheesecake, ask for the big wine list.

Where is Foreign Cinema?

2526 Mission St, Mission, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Is Foreign Cinema approved by Ed?

Yes. Foreign Cinema is one of the 34 places on Edmund's San Francisco list, kept from 496 eaten around the Bay Area. He has been 25 times since 2022.

Is Foreign Cinema worth going back to?

Edmund has eaten there 25 separate times since 2022, which is why it is on a list of 34 places drawn from nearly 500.